Caitlynn is no fan of the water, but after breaking her ankle playing soccer, swimming is the safest sport for her. She makes a deal with her grandfather to join a swim team if he’ll stay and watch all of her practices. But after Grandpa has a stroke and can no longer tag along Caitlynn no longer wants to keep up her end of the deal. In False Start overcoming obstacles requires more than hard work it takes a positive attitude.

What people are saying:
”Part of the Sports Stories series, False Start is much more than just a story about sports. The novel is built around nine-year-old Caitlyn Sinclair’s association with a swim club, but the story is really about her struggles to control her temper, conquer her fears, and make sense of her life.

Caitlyn’s story is simultaneously sad and uplifting. Though many of her problems are part and parcel of being a kid — sibling rivalry, fitting in with peers, and growing pains in general — Caitlyn also has to deal with the aftermath of a broken home and with the failing health of a loved one. That’s heavy-duty stuff, but Diersch handles it all without being melodramatic. Her characters are credible and her story is engaging — worth reading even for those who aren’t sports fans. Highly recommended." Kristin Butcher, Canadian Book Review Annual, Editor's Choice (September/October 2006)

Awards:
Canadian Children's Book Centre "Our Choice" Selection, 2006

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2005: James Lorimer and Co. Ltd.

ISBN: 1-55028-872-5 paper
ISBN: 1-55028-873-3 boards